Singapore—A Singaporean cargo ship is under investigation after having lost numerous containers of medical supplies and other goods. Sydney residents have reported finding surgical masks on their beaches in the past few days.
Containers on the vessel APL England went overboard on Sunday (May 25) during a spate of bad weather. The ship has been rerouted to the Brisbane port and is under investigation for possible violations by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).
In a Facebook post on Tuesday (May 27) the Authority wrote, “Yesterday our surveyors conducted an inspection of the Singapore-flagged container ship APL England at the Port of Brisbane anchorage. The ship was found to be fit, and brought safely into the Port at midday today.
We are currently investigating the ship on two fronts. It’s compliance with both Australian and international maritime safety standards, and also whether the ship has breached any Australian environmental protection regulations or standards.”
https://www.facebook.com/AustralianMaritimeSafetyAuthority/posts/3604520979563784
And on Thursday (May 28), it wrote in a post that the APL England was being detained at the Port of Brisbane after it had lost 40 containers on Sunday.
The post listed the deficiencies of the ship as “inadequate lashing arrangements for cargo and heavily corroded securing points for containers on the deck.”
Furthermore, these deficiencies showed “a clear breach of requirements under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS),” and added that the vessel will remain where it is until the “serious deficiencies” are resolved.
The authority added, “We are expecting the shipowner and its insurer to take full responsibility for addressing any impacts of this incident.”
The ship was en route from Ningbo, China to Melbourne when its engine gave way on the rough seas resulting in the collapse of a stack of containers. A total of 40 containers fell overboard.
AMSA wrote that 74 other containers sustained damages and collapsed on the vessel’s deck, “while a further six containers are reported to be protruding from the starboard side and three containers from the port side of the ship.”
In the meantime, Australian netizens have been posting photos of face masks and other items from beaches such as Magenta Beach and The Entrance at New South Wales.
Netizen Kim Eulo posted photos of masks found at Lakes, Budgewoi, Birdie, Tea Tree and Norah Head Lighthouse.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3062516113828596&set=p.3062516113828596&type=3&theater
Aliy Potts wrote, “With 40 shipping containers full of masks and plastic containers falling into the ocean I spent less then and (sic) hour at Coogee beach and got 100s of mask (sic) and still more washed up, as people of this earth it’s our job to try and help where we can so keep an eye on your beaches people, different currents will take them to different beaches ?”
https://www.facebook.com/aliy.potts/posts/10157446592684423
-/TISG
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